Best AI & Productivity Apps for Your Mac !

Arthur Brassart
12 Feb 202419:00

TLDRIn this video, Arthur introduces 10 productivity-enhancing Mac applications. Starting with Mac Bing, a free app integrating Bing's AI search engine into the menu bar for quick access and chat capabilities. Next, IAT Menus offers comprehensive system monitoring directly from the menu bar. Magnet simplifies window management, while Bartender 5 customizes and organizes menu bar items. Noir, a Safari extension, enables dark mode on all websites. Better Touch Tool allows for input device customization. Clipboard Manager keeps a history of copied items, and App Cleaner ensures complete app uninstallation. Temp Box provides disposable email addresses, and Be Focused implements the Pomodoro Technique for focused work intervals. Lastly, One Thing reminds users of their main goal by displaying it in the menu bar.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ˜€ Mac OS is praised for its stability and power, and can be enhanced with lesser-known apps.
  • ๐Ÿ”Ž Mac Bing is a free app that integrates Bing's AI search engine into the menu bar for quick access.
  • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ The mini Suburu MD-695B docking station is recommended for its versatility and compatibility with Mac and PC.
  • ๐Ÿ“Š iStat Menus is a system monitoring app providing real-time data on CPU, GPU, memory, and more.
  • ๐ŸชŸ Magnet is a window management tool that simplifies arranging and resizing windows on the Mac desktop.
  • ๐Ÿธ Bartender 5 allows for customization and organization of menu bar items on Mac OS.
  • ๐ŸŒ™ Noir is a Safari extension that enables dark mode on every website, improving night browsing experience.
  • ๐Ÿ–ฑ๏ธ BetterTouchTool offers extensive customization for input devices, creating new gestures and actions.
  • ๐Ÿ“‹ Clipboard Manager keeps a history of all copied items, aiding in productivity and time-saving.
  • ๐Ÿงน AppCleaner is a free utility that thoroughly uninstalls apps and their associated files from Mac.
  • ๐Ÿ“ง Temp Box offers disposable email addresses to protect privacy and manage unwanted emails.
  • ๐ŸŽฏ Be Focused is a free app that employs the Pomodoro Technique to enhance focus and productivity.
  • ๐Ÿ”‘ One Thing is a simple app that reminds users to focus on a single task or goal by displaying it in the menu bar.

Q & A

  • What is the primary function of Mac Bing?

    -Mac Bing is an application that allows users to quickly access the Bing search engine from their menu bar. It integrates AI and real-time web information to provide search results and chat with a powerful language model, all without leaving the app you're currently working in.

  • How does the IAT Menus app enhance the user's experience on a Mac?

    -IAT Menus is a system monitoring app that provides a wide range of status updates, including CPU, GPU, memory, network usage, disk usage, disk activity, and even battery percentage for accessories like AirPods or Bluetooth devices. It is highly optimized, configurable, and offers customizable menu bar styles and detailed drop-down menus with history graphs.

  • What is the main purpose of the Magnet app?

    -The Magnet app is designed to simplify window management on Mac OS. It allows users to automatically size any app into halves or quarters of the screen, or other fractions, by dragging windows to the edges or corners of the display, enhancing workspace efficiency.

  • What does the Bartender 5 app offer to Mac OS users?

    -Bartender 5 is an app that enables users to customize and organize their menu bar items. Users can hide, rearrange, group, and search for menu bar items, apply different styles and presets, and access hidden items quickly using triggers and hotkeys.

  • How does Noir, the Safari extension, improve the browsing experience at night?

    -Noir automatically adds a dark mode to every website visited, generating a custom dark style based on the colors used on the web page. This makes browsing at night more comfortable as it prevents users from being blinded by bright websites.

  • What customization options does the Better Touch Tool app provide for input devices on a Mac?

    -Better Touch Tool allows users to customize various input devices like Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse, Touch Bar, or even Notar on the latest MacBook models. Users can create new custom gestures and trigger different actions, as well as assign tabs to click on the Magic Mouse without physically pressing the button.

  • What is the Clipboard Manager app and how does it help Mac users?

    -The Clipboard Manager app keeps track of all clipboard history on a Mac, allowing users to access their clipboard history for up to several months. It is a simple application that has a significant impact on the overall Mac OS experience by enabling users to find and reuse old links or data that they have copied in the past.

  • What does the App Cleaner app do and why is it useful?

    -App Cleaner is a small application that helps users quickly uninstall unwanted apps from their Mac by finding and safely deleting all related files and cache data that are often left behind when manually deleting apps from the App Library.

  • How does the Temp Box app protect users' privacy and help avoid unwanted spam?

    -Temp Box is an instant disposable email service that allows users to create a random or custom disposable email address. This can be used to protect privacy and avoid unwanted spam, as it allows users to receive emails without sharing their real email address.

  • What technique does the Be Focused app use to help users stay productive?

    -Be Focused app uses the Pomodoro technique, which involves breaking up individual tasks into discrete intervals of 30 minutes separated by short 5-minute breaks, with longer breaks after several intervals, to help users stay focused and motivated.

  • What is the One Thing app and how does it serve as a daily reminder for users?

    -The One Thing app is a simple app that allows users to place their most important task or goal in the menu bar as a constant reminder. It can be used for any goal or even to display a loved one's name, and it offers customization options such as text color and layout.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ Mac OS Productivity Boost with 10 Must-Have Apps

In this video, Arthur introduces 10 Mac applications designed to enhance productivity. He starts with Mac Bing, a free app that integrates Bing's AI search engine into the menu bar for quick access and efficient search results. Next, he discusses IAT menus, a system monitoring app that provides CPU, GPU, memory, and network usage stats right in the menu bar. Arthur also covers Magnet, a window management tool that simplifies arranging and resizing windows for better workspace efficiency. He then mentions Bartender 5 for customizing and organizing the menu bar, Noir for adding a dark mode to Safari, and Better Touch Tool for customizing input devices. Clipboard Manager is highlighted for tracking and accessing clipboard history, while App Cleaner is introduced for thorough app uninstallation. Temp Box is an email service that offers disposable email addresses for privacy, and Be Focused is a productivity app based on the Pomodoro technique. Lastly, One Thing is a simple app that keeps a single goal visible in the menu bar for constant motivation.

05:01

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ System Monitoring and Window Management for Mac

Arthur continues his discussion on Mac apps by focusing on IAT menus, a powerful system monitoring tool that provides a wide range of status information, including CPU, GPU, memory, network usage, disk activity, and even battery levels for AirPods or Bluetooth accessories. This highly optimized app is customizable and supports both light and dark menu bar modes. He then introduces Magnet, an app that streamlines window management, allowing users to quickly arrange windows for multitasking. Magnet offers a window tiling feature similar to Microsoft Windows' Snap feature, enabling efficient use of screen space.

10:01

๐ŸŽจ Customizing Mac Experience with Menu Bar and Dark Mode

The video moves on to discuss Bartender 5, an app that customizes and organizes the menu bar items on Mac OS, allowing users to hide, rearrange, and group items. It offers various styles and presets and provides quick access to hidden menu bar items. Arthur also talks about Noir, a Safari extension that automatically applies a dark mode to every website, enhancing the browsing experience, especially at night. Noir generates a custom dark style for each website without noticeable delays and respects user privacy by not collecting browsing data.

15:03

๐Ÿ“ฑ Custom Gestures, Clipboard Management, and Privacy Tools

Arthur introduces Better Touch Tool, an app that allows users to customize gestures for input devices like the Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse, and even the touch bar on newer MacBook models. This app enables users to create custom actions for various gestures, increasing efficiency. He also mentions Clipboard Manager, an app that keeps a history of all copy-paste actions, which can be a lifesaver when trying to retrieve old links or data. For uninstalling apps, App Cleaner is recommended as it finds and deletes all related files, ensuring a complete uninstall. Temp Box is an instant disposable email service that generates random email addresses to protect privacy and avoid spam. Lastly, Be Focused is a free app that employs the Pomodoro technique to help users stay focused and productive by breaking tasks into intervals with short breaks.

๐Ÿง˜โ€โ™‚๏ธ Staying Focused with Task Management and Goal Reminder

The final paragraph of the video script introduces two more apps. First is Be Focused, an app that helps maintain concentration on tasks by using the Pomodoro technique, which involves working in 30-minute increments followed by short breaks. This method is known to improve motivation and focus. The app allows customization of work intervals and break lengths and provides a simple interface with a menu bar timer. The second app is One Thing, a simple menu bar app that displays a single task or goal to keep the user reminded and focused. It can be used for personal or professional goals and is fully customizable, even allowing users to display a name or phrase for motivation.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กMac OS

Mac OS, also known as macOS, is the operating system that powers Apple's Mac computers. It is renowned for its stability and user-friendly interface. In the context of the video, Mac OS is the foundation upon which the recommended productivity apps are built and operate. The script emphasizes the operating system's efficiency for getting things done, and the apps mentioned are designed to enhance this experience.

๐Ÿ’กProductivity Apps

Productivity apps are software tools designed to streamline tasks, improve efficiency, and increase the overall productivity of users. In this video, the host, Arthur, discusses 10 specific Mac apps that are meant to boost productivity for Mac users. These apps cover a range of functionalities from search enhancement to window management and system monitoring.

๐Ÿ’กMac Bing

Mac Bing is a free application for Mac OS that allows users to access the Bing search engine directly from the menu bar. It is highlighted in the video as a useful tool for quickly conducting searches and taking advantage of AI-powered search results. The app is particularly beneficial for those seeking an efficient way to integrate search into their workflow without leaving the current application they are working in.

๐Ÿ’กAI Search Engine

An AI search engine, like Bing, uses artificial intelligence to enhance search capabilities. It can provide real-time information and more accurate search results by understanding the context and intent behind user queries. In the video, the host mentions that Bing is a free AI search engine that powers Mac Bing app, offering a conversational interface with the AI through Bing chat.

๐Ÿ’กIAT Menus

IAT Menus is described as a powerful system monitoring app for Mac OS that resides in the menu bar. It offers a wide range of status monitors, including CPU, GPU, memory, network usage, disk usage, disk activity, and even battery percentage for accessories like AirPods. The app is noted for its optimization, low resource consumption, and customization options, making it a valuable tool for keeping track of system performance.

๐Ÿ’กMagnet App

The Magnet app is a window management tool for Mac OS that simplifies the process of arranging multiple open windows. It allows users to automatically size apps to take up specific portions of the screen, such as half or a quarter, by dragging them to the edges or corners of the display. This app is likened to the snap feature in Microsoft Windows and is praised for enhancing workspace efficiency.

๐Ÿ’กBartender 5

Bartender 5 is an application for customizing and organizing the menu bar items on a Mac. It enables users to hide, rearrange, group, and search for menu bar items, as well as apply different styles and presets. The app is highlighted for its ability to provide quick access to hidden menu bar items and for offering a cleaner, better-organized menu bar experience.

๐Ÿ’กNoir

Noir is a Safari extension that automatically enables a dark mode on every website visited, enhancing the browsing experience, especially during nighttime use. It generates a custom dark style for each website based on its colors, providing a visually comfortable experience without the need for manual activation. Noir is commended for its privacy-conscious design, as it does not collect browsing data.

๐Ÿ’กBetter Touch Tool

Better Touch Tool is a feature-packed app that allows Mac users to customize various input devices, such as the Magic Trackpad, Magic Mouse, Touch Bar, and even notifications. It enables the creation of custom gestures and actions, providing quicker and more efficient ways to interact with the computer. The app is extolled for its potential to greatly enhance the user experience through personalized input device configurations.

๐Ÿ’กClipboard Manager

The Clipboard Manager app is a utility that tracks and manages the clipboard history on a Mac. It allows users to access their clipboard actions for an extended period, providing a way to retrieve data, links, images, and files that were previously copied. This app is particularly useful for situations where past clipboard contents need to be re-accessed, serving as a time-saving tool for office workers and writers.

๐Ÿ’กApp Cleaner

App Cleaner is a free application designed to thoroughly uninstall apps from a Mac by finding and deleting all associated files, including data and cache files that remain after manual deletion. This ensures that apps are completely removed, freeing up valuable storage space on the computer's SSD. The app is recommended for users who want to ensure that unwanted apps are fully uninstalled from their Mac.

๐Ÿ’กTemp Box

Temp Box is an instant disposable email service for Mac users, allowing them to create temporary email addresses to protect their privacy and avoid spam. Users can generate random names or custom ones, download email attachments, and manage their virtual accounts, each with a 40-megabyte storage limit. The service is appreciated for its ability to help users manage unwanted emails and protect their real email addresses.

๐Ÿ’กBe Focused

Be Focused is a free app that helps users maintain focus on their tasks by employing the Pomodoro Technique, which involves breaking work into intervals of 30 minutes separated by short breaks. This method is said to enhance motivation and productivity by providing structured work and rest periods. The app allows customization of these intervals and is designed to be simple and intuitive, with a menu bar display to track time and alert users to take breaks.

๐Ÿ’กOne Thing

One Thing is a simple, free app that serves a single purpose: to remind users of their most important task or goal by displaying it in the menu bar. The app encourages users to focus on one thing at a time, a principle believed to help achieve goals more effectively. It can be customized with different colors and phrases, and is suggested for use in reminding oneself of daily objectives or cherished values.

Highlights

Mac OS is considered the most stable and powerful operating system for productivity.

10 amazing Mac apps are shared to boost productivity.

Mac Bing app provides quick access to Bing search engine and AI chat from the menu bar.

Bing AI can generate images and act as a personal assistant for precise answers.

IAT Menus is a system monitoring app with CPU, GPU, memory, and network usage tracking.

Magnet app simplifies window management on Mac OS with easy window resizing and snapping.

Bartender 5 allows customization and organization of menu bar items on Mac OS.

Noir is a Safari extension that enables dark mode on every website.

Better Touch Tool enables customization of input devices and creation of custom gestures.

Clipboard Manager keeps a history of all copy-paste actions for easy access.

App Cleaner helps to fully uninstall apps and remove leftover files from Mac.

Temp Box provides a disposable email service to protect privacy and avoid spam.

Be Focused app uses the Pomodoro technique to enhance focus and productivity.

One Thing app helps to stay focused on a single task or goal by displaying it in the menu bar.

The video provides a comprehensive guide to improving productivity on a Mac with various apps.